Chapter 193: Is the New Body Just for Cuddling?
Zhao Mingyue’s apartment was tiny—one bedroom, one living room, one bathroom, and one kitchen. She and Bai Yu slept in the bedroom while Moon Fox Shuang’er had to make do on the couch in the living room. Surprisingly, Shuang’er didn’t mind at all.
“Sleeping on the couch has to be better than watching those two girls do the dirty in the bedroom, right?”
After all, she was a fox! Watching humans do those sorts of things seemed pretty normal to her. Plus, being a female fox, she wasn’t going to have too strong a reaction to it.
Besides, as a mount, if she didn’t pay attention to her two ‘bosses’ doing their thing, she’d probably lose her head—literally!
“I just don’t get human thoughts. Aren’t humans just men and women? Why are both these girls acting like that together?”
Cuddled up on the couch, Shuang’er listened to the somewhat disturbing giggles coming from the bedroom. She peeked up, then immediately laid back down. “I don’t get it. Is this how humans live? It’s so complicated.”
If it were a man and a woman—even if that woman was a female ghost—she wouldn’t think twice about it. But a young girl and a loli? That just seemed downright strange.
Zhao Mingyue treating a loli like this—wouldn’t that be illegal in the human world?
Well, it seemed like human laws wouldn’t cover a corpse possessed by a ghost.
“This is really crazy! Bai Yu is so powerful, driving off Ah She and Fan Yin. She can’t be the one being pinned down on the bed, right?”
“Hmm, sounds like it might be.”
Shuang’er was baffled. Why would such a strong spirit like Bai Yu be the one getting pinned? That didn’t match her personality at all! She should be the one doing the pinning!
In the bedroom, Zhao Mingyue was blissfully unaware of Shuanger’s musings. She had awkwardly positioned herself half on top of Bai Yu, her hands cupping Bai Yu’s face as she studied her closely—from face to neck to collarbone, and slowly downwards.
Unfortunately, those key parts were obscured by Bai Yu’s obviously oversized frog pajamas.
That little zipper? If she could just manage to pinch it with two fingers and pull it down, she could unlock an entirely new world!
But alas, Bai Yu’s gaze was already looking a little unhinged. If Zhao dared mess with that zipper, she’d definitely get hit in the head. She knew this from experience.
She recalled one amazing night when she felt like something was missing in her palm, like she needed to squeeze something soft and fluffy.
And then BAM! Bai Yu had smashed her head, and it hurt like crazy!
“They’re really just like normal people.” Zhao Mingyue pinched Bai Yu’s cheek and then grabbed her arm, her palm enveloping Bai Yu’s forearm, feeling the warmth radiating.
She was genuinely a little shocked. Over the time she had known Bai Yu, this was the first time feeling her body heat.
Sure, the coldness was also nice—chilly, soft, and bouncy had its own charm—but honestly, warmth was just more comforting.
“This body can’t be a living person, right? Bai Yu, how does it feel?”
“It’s different from possessing you; maybe it’s because it’s an empty shell, so this body feels more attuned to me.” Bai Yu replied honestly, letting Zhao Mingyue pin her in place.
“This body must have died. It’s just a bunch of corpses stitched together and cultivated over years.”
Raising a delicate little hand, fingers long and beautiful like green shoots, Zhao Mingyue admired the fair skin showing visible veins on the back, and if she grabbed her wrist, she could even feel a pulse.
That’s wild. Totally unlike the evil gods she had met before, who at least had half a body. She’d once killed one and even sold its head!
“Then that means your body has been alive for a hundred or two hundred years, older than my grandma’s grandma!”
Zhao Mingyue lifted Bai Yu’s hand, rolled up her sleeves, and compared her own arm to Bai Yu’s, only to find Bai Yu’s skin looked even more delicate and smooth, almost poreless! Her own skin felt a tad inferior in comparison.
“How do these evil gods achieve such ridiculousness?”
“There’s a pulse. Unfortunately, I’m not a traditional Chinese medicine practitioner and can’t take your pulse, or else I’d gladly help you with that.”
After some careful examination, her gaze shifted back to Bai Yu’s eyes. “Bai Yu, why are your eyes red? Is it because of the possession?”
“Probably.”
“Those dark red eyes are really beautiful, almost like natural colored contacts. Ugh, so jealous! I hate the feeling of wearing colored contacts.”
Gently sliding a strand of blue hair through her fingers, Zhao Mingyue couldn’t recall how many times she had marveled at this body—it was just too amazing.
If she looked closely, there was definitely that cold, unnatural feeling of a dead person. She couldn’t fathom how this body, having lived for so long, maintained its “eternal youth.” Over a hundred years, and still looking like a loli? Was this a vampire?
“By the way, Bai Yu, does this body need to eat? Do you feel hungry?”
“Not really feeling hungry at the moment. I could eat, but food wouldn’t do much good since this body doesn’t need nutrition from it.” Bai Yu placed her hand flat on her flat stomach, almost forgetting what hunger and eating felt like.
“Not needing to eat means we can eat whatever we want without worrying about gaining weight!” She flopped into Bai Yu’s arms, resting her head on her chest. “Ugh, so envious! Plus, with eternal youth, you’d never have to worry about aging or getting sick!”
“Without the worries of aging or sickness, I’m really envious.”
While lamenting, Zhao Mingyue rubbed her face against Bai Yu’s chest.
It wasn’t completely flat, so she could still feel the softness beneath the sleeping clothes, reminding her that Bai Yu was wearing what she had bought earlier.
The underwear situation wasn’t too concerning, but the upper body?
It wasn’t until just now, when looking for clothes for Bai Yu, that Zhao Mingyue had to admit one thing.
Bai Yu’s natural form had decent proportions!
She could have sworn she hadn’t noticed it before because her own size was so large that every time she bought a new bra, she soon felt it was too small. It was only recently that growth had finally slowed a bit—not that it had ever been a hassle, especially during gym class.
“Yingyue, what are you doing?” Bai Yu sighed. “Why are you getting more clingy?”
“Hee hee! Just listening to your heartbeat! You have to find the right spot to hear it better, and I’m just searching for it.”
After hearing that, Bai Yu was left utterly speechless.
“Yingyue.”
“Yup, I’m here.”
“Do you think there’s a chance that the heart is on the other side?”
“Uh-oh.” Zhao Mingyue paused, then quickly swapped sides, now rubbingly exploring the other side of Bai Yu’s chest.
It was like it was her specialty.
“Wow, there’s a heartbeat! This is so amazing! How is it maintained? Is it all just curses and evil thoughts providing the necessary nutrients for this body?”
“Whatever, they’re all products of evil gods; doesn’t seem like talking science or medicine will get us anywhere.”
“Bai Yu, Sister Yu~”
“What is it?” Bai Yu’s head throbbed; whenever Zhao Mingyue called her that, it never led to anything good.
Sure enough, Zhao Mingyue chimed in, “What if we sleep under the same blanket tonight? My blanket smells so good! Seriously, since you have a body now, it shouldn’t be a problem for me to cuddle you.”
“……”
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The next morning, the alarm rang on time. Zhao Mingyue’s slender arm emerged from the blankets to turn it off, and in her sleepy haze, she extended her arms to embrace the person next to her—only to find nothing but air.
She opened her eyes, and the person next to her was already gone. The only sound was coming from outside where someone seemed to be cooking.
Zhao Mingyue immediately perked up, tossing the blankets aside as she sat up with a whoosh.
Being home alone, and Bai Yu usually never cooked for her, who in the world was in the kitchen?
Could it be the fox in the living room?
Puzzled, she quickly got dressed, folded her pajamas, and carefully opened the door to go outside.
On the television, cartoons of Tom and Jerry played, where she had expected the cooking fox to be busy in the kitchen. Instead, Shuang’er was perched on the couch, staring intently at the screen, with the remote right beside her massive fluffy tail—no guessing who turned on the TV.
Seeing Zhao Mingyue get up, Shuang’er lifted her head to greet her. “Good morning, little boss! The big boss is in the kitchen cooking. You should go wash up; breakfast will be ready soon!”
“The big boss? Cooking?”
Zhao Mingyue frowned as she walked over to the kitchen door, where, to her surprise, she saw a tiny figure barely over one meter tall, tiptoeing with a spatula, skillfully stirring something in the pan.
The figure was in pink-white lace socks and cartoon slippers, and while tiptoeing, those adorable small blue pearl accessories jingled gently on her ankle.
Of course, those cute socks were the ones Zhao Mingyue had bought for Bai Yu, but Bai Yu had always refused to wear them, claiming that as a ghost, she shouldn’t be wearing socks.
Now, she was wearing them without a fuss, and Zhao Mingyue immediately understood why.
These socks clashed entirely with Bai Yu’s image. There was no way she’d wear those!
But still, every pair of socks she’d gotten Bai Yu were just like this.
What could she do? She didn’t have a choice but to wear them. If all else failed, she could just go for thigh-high stockings.
“Cough, um, Bai Yu, how about I help?”
Zhao Mingyue walked over and stood beside Bai Yu.
The kitchen counter was a bit high, making it not too convenient for Bai Yu, but she managed fine enough.
Bai Yu was sautéing peppers and pork, demonstrating a skill that put Zhao Mingyue’s cooking abilities to shame. Everything about it was on a whole new level.
“No need, just go wash up. Breakfast will be ready soon.”
“Um…” After a quick once-over of Bai Yu, her eyes landed on the apron at her waist. She rubbed her chin. “I never knew you were such a good cook!”
“I told you I could cook.”
“Then why didn’t you cook before?”
“Before, I couldn’t eat it. Why would I cook?”
“Oh…” Zhao Mingyue felt like Bai Yu’s gaze was insinuating she was a bit foolish.
“Seems likely, so okay, I’ll go wash up and then taste my lady boss’s cooking~”
During breakfast, as she gazed at the three dishes and a soup on the table, Zhao Mingyue admitted she had been utterly crushed in culinary skills by this little loli. The moment she took a bite, the realization hit her even harder.
Bai Yu was truly amazing! Zhao Mingyue had a thought, “Bai Yu, can you taste the food?”
Bai Yu picked up a chicken wing, took a small bite, chewed it thoughtfully with her delicate brows furrowed, and Zhao Mingyue felt butterflies of anxiety.
After a moment, Bai Yu relaxed her brows, nodding lightly.
“Good.”
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“Is this a fresh start for a new life?” On the way to the convenience store, Zhao Mingyue couldn’t wipe the smile off her face. She raised her rabbit plush toy high and hugged it tightly.
Passersby turned to look at her, puzzled at how such a gorgeous girl was talking to a plush toy, especially one as goofy-looking as this rabbit. They wondered who had made it. The craftsmanship looked like it belonged in a haunted house.
To Zhao Mingyue, now that Bai Yu could live like a human in her new body, this was a fresh start—a day worth celebrating!
She was just so happy for Bai Yu, who, without fail, devoured most of the food like a starving princess, proving just how thrilled she was.
Bai Yu wasn’t good at expressing herself; she always kept a straight face. So the only way to understand her feelings was to observe her behavior.
And Zhao Mingyue loved watching Bai Yu’s little actions.
Ding ding!
Pushing open the convenience store’s door, Zhao Mingyue bounced in, radiating happiness.
“Hey Mingyue, what’s got you in such a good mood?” Li Tianan, the store manager, was tidying up the store when he caught Zhao Mingyue’s smile.
“I can’t tell you just yet, manager! But it’s something very significant and joyous for me!”
“Well, congratulations! Go grab a bottle of your favorite drink off the shelf; consider it my treat.”
“Hee hee, thanks, manager!” Zhao Mingyue grabbed a bottle of milk off the shelf, humming a tune as she walked to the counter, placing the rabbit plush toy down as she neatly slipped into her work uniform.
“Mingyue.”
Li Tianan put the mop away and walked over to the counter.
“Is Bai Yu here?”
“Yep! She’s here, manager. Why do you ask?”
“Well, Bai Yu mentioned something about participating in tonight’s Gatekeeper’s task. I’d like to have a word with her.”
Zhao Mingyue suddenly remembered and exclaimed, “Right, Bai Yu told me about it yesterday! I totally forgot as soon as I got excited!”
“No big deal. Why don’t you two go sit over there? Not many customers around at this hour.”
In the break area, Li Tianan took a seat, glancing at Bai Yu in broad daylight. Even though he knew her power was impressive, he still felt a bit uneasy.
Associating her with the fact she was almost eight years old gave him a sense of clarity.
“Take a seat.”
Bai Yu was unbothered, nodding as she sat down opposite Li Tianan.
“Why the sudden interest in participating in the Gatekeeper’s activity?” Li Tianan got straight to the point.
“I have some matters to discuss that pertain to you Gatekeepers.” Bai Yu replied promptly.
“Ah, I see. Tonight, there indeed is a task involving the Gatekeepers. You’re aware of the situation with Chen Bingtang, right? Her mom is injured, and everyone’s been busy not handling it.”
“But somehow, that news got leaked, likely by that fake Taoist from the other day. He knows a bit and is connected to one of the Gatekeepers.”
“Honestly, those five have come looking for me already. They’re all from Tianchang City—three from the same school and the other two are part of the same gang.”
“These five actually have some strength. Their methods of dealing with ghosts differ from mine. They belong to the ghost-controlling category, using spirits to overwhelm other ghosts, similar to those from the ghost domain.”
“So they’re all having evil spirits, huh?” Zhao Mingyue couldn’t help but interject.
“Exactly; otherwise, they’d be too bold to show up uninvited without notify me first.” Li Tianan raised his hands, a headache starting just thinking about them.
“The Gatekeeper organization is pretty lax, unlike the ghost domain, so it’s normal for factions to form. These five are eyeing Chen Bingtang’s mother, wanting to try capturing that evil spirit, to see if they can manipulate it.”
“If that fails, killing the spirit as a source of food is also part of their main goal—after all, evil spirits benefit both sides in trade value.”
Bai Yu looked into Li Tianan’s eyes. “Just cut to the chase.”
“Fine, no more games,” Li Tianan’s expression stiffened. “These guys have dodgy morals and use ghosts for stuff that shouldn’t see the light of day. You can imagine what they’ve done.”
“But regardless, each of them holds a ghost gate. If they d*e, the gates won’t get monitored, and that’s a hassle.”
“You want me to let them go?”
“Yes, if I can spare a life, I would.”
“If they d*e, will someone take over their ghost gate?” Bai Yu narrowed her eyes.
“Not sure.”
“Do you know someone named An Que?”
“An Que? The initiator of the Gatekeeper organization; you could say he’s our half-boss.”
“Is there a way to contact him?”
“I don’t have contact, but others might.”
Bai Yu pondered, neither agreeing nor refusing, merely offering an “mm” before slipping into Zhao Mingyue’s shadow.
Her goal merely was to locate An Que and retrieve a method to deal with Burning Heart.
As for those five, whether to k*ll them would depend on their actions later.
But tonight, she felt there was more going on than just five people.
There were also issues with Chen Yunshi—how did she ascertain the Gatekeeper’s plans?
Barring any surprises, it seemed like three groups would converge tonight, leading to quite the spectacle.
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